2008 Nissan Altima

NOV 15, 2012 - HARRISON, NJ - STEERING I OWN A 2008 SALVAGE NISSAN ALTIMA. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF. I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL SO THE VEHICLE TO COASTED TO A STOP. I NOTICED THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING FLUID IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE ADDING MORE POWER STEERING FLUID, HE NOTICED THE FLUID LEAKING DIRECTLY FROM THE POWER STEERING FLUID COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE I WAS TOLD THE POWER STEERING RACK FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,040 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000, I HAVEN'T TAKEN IT TO AUTHORIZE DEALER YET BUT SINCE IT'S A SALVAGE VEHICLE MOST LIKELY I'LL BE PAYING THE REPAIR OUT MY PACKET. *TR

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I WROTE THIS LETTER TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND TO THE CEO OF NISSAN: DEAR [XXX], MY NAME IS [XXX]AND I AM A CURRENT OWNER OF A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS, I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH NISSAN'S WEST COAST REGIONAL OFFICE IN REGARDS TO ISSUES I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING WITH MY CAR. I HAVE BEEN TREATED VERY POORLY AND I AM ASTONISHED AND DISGRACED BY BOTH ONE OF YOUR NISSAN DEALERSHIPS HERE IN LOS ANGELES AND BY YOUR CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVES. AS A LEADER MYSELF FOR ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE COMPANY'S IN THE WORLD, I HAVE FOUND MYSELF AT A LOSS FOR WORDS. [XXX], A MAN WHO HAS BEEN EMPOWERED TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR NISSAN, STATED BY BRETT LOCHER, HIS SUPERVISOR, HAS DECIDED THAT NISSAN SHOULD NOT FIX THE ISSUE THAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SINCE THE FIRST DAY I LEASED THE CAR. I WAS LIED TO BY THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE THAT MY VEHICLE HAD TEMPORARY BATTERY ISSUES. LATER ON IN THE YEAR, I EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES. I WAS ADVISED BY YOUR DEALERSHIP IN GLENDALE, CA TO PAY FOR A NEW BATTERY EXCHANGE. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN MY CAR BECAME INACTIVE TO THE THE START/STOP IGNITION SWITCH NOT RESPONDING WITH THE BRAKE HARNESS. ALTHOUGH I ADVISED YOUR REPRESENTATIVES THAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WAY BEFORE MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY CONTINUED TO EXPLAIN TO ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIX THE CAR WITHOUT CHARGE BECAUSE NOW ITS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CAR HAS AROUND 29,000 MILES AND HAS NEVER NEEDED SERVICE. I AM DISAPPOINTED FROM AN ETHICAL STANDPOINT AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY CAR FIXED. IT'S TIME FOR NISSAN TO STOP SERVING CRACKERS AND CHEESE AND BEGIN TO SERVE CAVIAR FOR CUSTOMER RETENTION. [XXX] CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS NEEDED! MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS ALL OVER THE NET. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE ABOUT 30 MINUTES NORTH OF SAN ANTONIO ON OUR WAY HOME TO DALLAS. IN AN INSTANCE MY CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING AND THE MPH DECLINED. I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THE CAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE AND IT WAS. I PULLED OVER AS TO NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND TURNED OFF MY CAR. IT TOOK A FEW TIMES TO START IT BACK AS IT WOULD START AND DIE. ABOUT THE 3RD TRY IT STARTED AND I REVVED THE GAS - IT SOUNDED NORMAL SO I DROVE TO AN AUTOZONE - IT WAS THE CLOSEST. I ASKED IF THEY WOULD CHECK THE COMPUTER TO SEE WHAT IT SAID AND THEY SAID IT WOULDN'T READ W/O A CODE. I TOOK THE CAR 10/1/12 TO BANKSTON NISSAN IN DALLAS (THE CAR DROVE FINE ALL THE WAY HOME) AND THEY SAID IT MAY BE TOO MUCH CVT FLUID. TOOK IT IN AND THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE AND THE FLUID WAS FINE - DID NOT NEED TO BE CHANGED OR ANYTHING. THE TECH SAID WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN TO PULL OVER AND HAVE IT TOWED TO A NISSAN - HE THINKS MAYBE SINCE I RESTARTED IT MAY HAVE CLEARED THE CODES. I ASKED IF HE THOUGHT IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND HE SAID YES. LOOKING ONLINE I SEE THIS SAME DESCRIPTION AND ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I EVEN CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND RECEIVED A CALL BACK... THIS DID NOT HAPPEN BEFORE WHEN I HAD A MASTER CYLINDER ISSUE THAT WAS RECALLED 6 MONTHS LATER. NISSAN AT THAT TIME JUST SAID SORRY. THIS TIME I GOT A CALL BACK INQUIRING, BUT THEN STILL GET A SORRY. I THINK SOMETHING IS UP. THEY ALL SEEM TO KNOW THE ISSUE BUT W/O A CODE THEY WONT REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY. WHAT IF THERE IS NEVER A CODE??!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED ONCE ON THE VEHICLE. SIX MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FUEL LEVEL GAUGE FAILED AND WAS DISPLAYING ONE QUARTER OF A TANK LESS THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY IN THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FORE REPAIRS OR INSPECTION OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,100. UPDATED 11/14/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THAT ON OCTOBER 8, 2012 THE PUT IN ANOTHER NEW FUEL PUMP. THE GAS GAUGE DID IMPROVED BUT, WHEN THE GAS GAUGE SHOULD READ HALF IT WILL SOMETIMES GO IN BETWEEN HALF AND 3/4 FULL. THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT VERY ACCURATE. UPDATED 11/19/2012 *JS

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM STOPPED TRAFFIC AT A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION, ACCELERATOR PEDAL BROKE OFF AT THE HUB. WHILE COASTING AT IDLE, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CROSS LANES OF MOVING TRAFFIC TO SHOULDER AND THEN INTO PARKING LOT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT BRAKE PEDAL IS MOUNTED TO A METAL ARM, BUT ACCELERATOR PIVOT HUB, ARM, AND PEDAL IS A SINGLE PIECE OF PLASTIC. *TR

THE PUSH START ENGINE IGNITION DEPENDS UPON PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO START THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL COULD NOT BE PRESSED COMPLETELY IN ORDER FOR THE PUSH START TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. THIS HAS SINCE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. WE MUST PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL A NUMBER OF TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. ACCORDING TO THE AUTO DEALER THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM BUT UPON SEARCH OF THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND MANY CASES OF SIMILAR PROBLEM. NISSAN DEALER OFFERS TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PART AT A FEE. REQUEST THAT NISSAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY BRAKE BUTTON THAT APPEARS TO BE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM ON MANY NISSAN ALTIMA VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,385. UPDATED 10/17/12 *CN THE REPAIRS WERE MADE ON 09/25/12. UPDATED 10/22/12

I HAVE 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 S WHICH HAS PUSH BUTTON START. I.E. PERSON HAS TO PUSH BUTTON AND PRESS BRAKE AT SAME TIME TO START THE ENGINE. THERE IS A SWITCH / SENSOR NEAR BRAKE PEDAL WHICH SENDS SIGNAL THAT BRAKE HAS BEEN PRESSED (AND ALSO TURNS ON REAR BRAKE LIGHTS). ONE DAY, ALL OF SUDDEN, WHEN I TRIED TO START CAR IT DIDN'T START. IT KEEP SAYING PRESS BRAKE (ACCESSORIES / RADIO ETC ALL TURN ON). SO THE CYCLE OF ACCESSORIES - ON- OFF KEPT ON HAPPENING. I THOUGHT BATTERY IS WEAK AND EVEN TRIED JUMP START. SO, AFTER TRYING PUSHING BRAKE + BUTTON FOR 30MINUTES , CAR FINALLY STARTED. THIS HAPPENED 2-3 TIMES AND I GOT VERY FRUSTRATED....FINALLY I STARTED READING ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. MANY PEOPLE HAVE POSTED SAME COMPLAIN / ISSUE. THEY SUGGESTED TO CHECK WHETHER REAR BRAKE LIGHTS TURN ON WHEN I PRESS BRAKE OR NOT.. IF NOT THEN THE SWITCH IS BAD .. I SAW MANY PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO FIX PROBLEM BY REPLACING SWITCH ($50 EXPENSE). I DID THE SAME AND CAR HAS BEEN WORKING FINE SINCE THEN (2-3 MONTHS). DEALER TRIES TO CHARGE $150 ONLY FOR SWITCH AND THEN $500 FOR OTHER STUFF TO ELIMINATE ROOT CAUSE OF ISSUE.. AS MANY PEOPLE ARE EFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT NISSAN SHOULD RECALL AND FIX THIS ISSUE AT THEIR COST. DEALERS ARE MAKING TONS OF MONEY OFF 2007-2008 ALTIMA OWNERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE START THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,310 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.